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Happy Holidays to You

Today, I have a special treat for you. But not the chocolate kind. Our intrepid guest blogger, Jonathon, has something to share. I promise I will update you on my doings tomorrow. For now, enjoy! Comments appreciated.

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This Christmas Season, I have been inundated with reminders to wish people a “Merry Christmas” instead of the politically correct “Happy Holidays” because “Jesus is the reason for the season” as if being politically correct is at odds with being a true believer of Jesus Christ or something. I get it. Religious observances are being removed from public life at an alarming rate and the insistence of government agencies that they avoid any semblance or religious favoritism by avoiding using a phrase that wishes anyone a happy religious observance this time of year is simply annoying at best and quite hypocritical at worst.

But this is not a post about the government intervention in eradicating religious observances from public life. Nor is it a rant about Jesus being the reason for the season (don’t even get me STARTED about Saturnalia and the other ‘real reasons’ for the season!). This is not even a rant about how the root word for “holiday” is “Holy Day”…like that justifies the use of the term any better for those who look down upon it because of its attachment to political correctness. This is a rant about the use of the phrase “Happy Holidays” and how I get looked down upon as less of a Christian if I choose to use it.

You see, I wish people a “Happy Holidays” not because I am attempting to be politically correct, but because I truly wish that they have happy holidays. Plural. Holiday…with an S. Yes, I want them to have a Merry Christmas. I also want them to enjoy the winter solstice and the beautiful darkness it brings. Go see the stars in their glory (if you can where you live). December 21st is the shortest day of the year…a GREAT day to go stargazing and still get to bed at a decent hour.

I also want them to enjoy New Year’s Day and all the celebrations with friends and family that the promise of a new year brings. New beginnings, new possibilities. This is a great time of year to reflect on the past year and set goals and make resolutions for the New Year. I wish that everyone is able to look back on this past year with pride and joy…and look ahead with joyous expectation of things to come.

For those who do not share my faith, I wish them a happy Hannukah (although that was more around thanksgiving this year) or a happy Kwanzaa or whatever celebration they have for their faith this time of year. I do truly wish that this time of year be a happy one for them.

And since I am ranting about multiple holidays that I wish people are happy on or around, we Christians have to admit that there really are two distinct version of Christmas that are called by the same name. There is the one with Jesus and the stable and all that, and then there is the one with Santa and the tree and all the other festivities. Whichever Christmas you celebrate (or whatever combination of the two), I want yours to be a happy time.

So for those who insist that Jesus is the reason for the season and want to wish people have a Merry CHRISTmas, keep on wishing people that. I will continue to wish that people are truly happy through all of their winter observances.